Adapter

ABSTRACT

An adapter suitable for conducting separate streams of fluid between a device having a pair of ports and a container having an internally threaded opening communicating with first and second chambers within the container, generally including a housing defining a chamber and having external threads for threading the housing into the internally threaded opening of the container, an outer port communicating with the housing chamber and communicable with one of the pair of ports of the device, an inner port communicating with the housing chamber and communicable with the second container chamber, and means projecting through the housing chamber intercommunicating the other of the pair of ports of the device and the first container chamber when the device is mounted on the adapter with one of the pair of ports of the device communicating with the outer port of the housing and the adapter is threaded into the internalthreaded opening of the container with the inner port of the housing communicating with the second container chamber.

United States Patent [191 Barrera [451 May 21, 1974 [54] ADAPTER [75] Inventor: Salvatore E. Barrera, Mountaintop,

I Pa. [73] Assignee: v'vmneasarnrai;Beaver;

Pa. 22 Filed: May 9, 1972 21 Appl. 1%.; 251,710

[52] U.S. Cl. 285/132, 285/137 R 6/1954 Broswell 285/132 X Primary Examiner-Dave W. Arola [57 v ABSTRACT An adapter Suitable for conducting separate streams of fluid between a device having a pair of ports and a container having an internally threaded opening communicating with first and second chambers within the container, generally including a housing defining a chamber and having external threads for threading the housing into the internally threaded opening of the container, an outer port communicating with the housing chamber andcommunicable with'one of the pair ofports of the device, an inner port communicating with the housing chamber and communicable with the second container chamber, and means projecting through the housing chamber intercommu-nicating the other of the pair of ports of the device and the first container. chamber when the device is mounted on the adapter with one of the pair of ports of the device communicating with the outer port of the housing and the adapter is threaded into the internal-threaded opening of the container with the inner port" of the housing communicating with the second container chamber.

PATENIEUMM 21 1974 1181 1.712

' saw 1 (I 3 a container.

1 ADAPTER This invention relates to an adapter and more partieularly to an adapter suitable for conducting two separate streams of fluid between a device having a pair of ports and a container having an internally threaded opening communicating with a pair of chambers within the container. 7

In the manufacture of certain products, it has been found to be desirable to utilize commercially available components. Often, however, such components are not compatible structurally thereby requiring certain modifications to permit them to be united to provide the desired end product. This particularly has been found to be the case in the manufacture of filter assemblies consisting of valve units mounted on filter tanks where the valve units are commercially available from valve manufacturers and the filter units usually are available from container manufacturers.

Usually, commercially available valves are provided with a pair of ports and commercially available filter tanks consist of containers having a threaded internal opening communicating with an axial return chamber and a coaxially disposed annular chamber. In cartridge type filters, the cylindrical member dividing the two v chambers in the filter tank usually consists of a filter element. In a sand type filter, the annular member separating the'axial chamber'from the annular chamber usually consists of a cylindrical conduit open at the lower end, and the lower portion of the annular chamber-is provided with a bed of filter medium such as sand. The use of either of such types of filter tanks re- A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel adapter suitable for conducting two separate streams of fluid between a device having a pair of ports and a container having an internally threaded opening communicating with a pair of chambers within the container.

A still further objectof the present invention is to provide 'a novel adapter suitable for inte'rcommu nicating the port of adevice and an annular chamber of a container, and intercommunicating another port of such device with an axially disposed chamber of such Another object of, the present invention is to provide a novel adapter for avalve and filter tank, suitable for use in constructing a filter assembly. I r

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel adapter for conducting two separate streams of fluid between a valve'having a pair of ports and a filter tank having an internally threaded opening communieating with a pair of chambers within the filter tank.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel adapter suitable for intercommunicating a port of a commercially available valve with an annular chamber of a commercially available filter tank and intercommunicating a second port of such valve with an axially disposed chamber of such filter tank.

Another oject of the present invention is to provide improved adapter suitable for conducting two separate streams of fluid between a device having a pair of ports and a container having an internally threaded opening communicating with a pair of chambers within the container, which is simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and effective in performance.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those persons hav ing ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a filter assembly illustrating an embodiment of the invention interconnecting a valve and a filter tank to provide the complete filter assembly, having a portion thereof broken away;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the adapter and valve shown in FIG. 1, illustrating the components thereof in exploded relation;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1, having a portion thereof broken away;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 44 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 55 in FIG. 3.

Brieflydescribed, the present invention relates to an adapter suitable for conducting separate streams of fluid between a device having a pair of ports and'a container having an internally threaded opening communi-- eating with first and second chambers within the container, generally including a housing defining a chamber and having external threads for threading the housing into the internally threaded opening of the container,'an outer port communicating with the housing chamber and communicable with one of the pair of ports of the device, an inner port communicating with the housing chamber and communicable with the second container chamber, and means projecting through the housing chamber intercommunicating the other of the pair of ports of the device and the first container chamber when the device is mounted on the adapter with one of the pair of ports of the device communicating with the outer port of the housing and the adapter is threaded into the internally threaded opening of the container with the inner port of the housing communiv As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, thefilter unit 10 I consists of a container 14 having a circular bottom wall 15 and a cylindrical wall 16 providing an open upper end formed with internal threads 17. Disposed axially in the container 14 is a return conduit 18 provided with a strainer 19 on the lower end thereof, which defines an axial chamber 20 and cooperates with the cylindrical wall 16 to provide an annular chamber 21. Thestrainer 19 is provided with a perforated cylindrical side wall 22 spaced inwardly from the container wall 16, and a perforated bottom wall 23 whixh is spaced from the container bottom wall 15. The lower end of the container 14 is filled with a filter medium such as sand, having a grain size greater than the openings in the strainer.

The filter unit as described, is conventional in construction and operation. Fluid to be filtered is introduced into the annular chamber 21, passes down through the filter medium and then passes through the strainer and upwardly through the axial chamber to be discharged from the unit. The unit also is backwashed by the conventional method of reversing the flow of fluid through the filter medium.

Although a sand type filter unit is shown in the drawings, this is intended for illustration purposes only and it should be understood that other types of filters and particularly cartridge type filters also can be used with the proposed adapter. Cartridge type filters also are conventional and differ from the sand type filter illustrated in the drawings in that an axially disposed filter element is provided in lieu of an axially disposed return conduit having a strainer or other type of filtrate collector disposed thereon, embedded in a filter medium.

In the type of filter as illustrated, fluid introduced into the annular chamber is caused to flow through the bed of filter medium and then pass upwardly through the cylindrical chamber to be discharged from the unit. To facilitate the flow of the fluid, radially disposed conduits may be provided in the lower end of the filter medium which are provided with small openings that collect the filtered effluent and conduct it radially inwardly to the axially disposed chamber.

The valve unit 12 consists of a housing 24, a valve member 25 disposed within the housing, a cap member 26 seated on the housing, and a valve actuator 27 mounted on the cap member 26 and operatively connected to the valve member 25. The housing 24 is provided with an upper cylindrical chamber 28 having a bottom wall 29. As best illustrated in FIG. 5, the lower portion of the housing 24 is provided with longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced passageways 30 through 34. The passageway 30 intercommunicates the upper chamber 28 and a tangential passageway provided with an internally threaded end section 36 adapted to receive the threaded end of a waste line. The passageway 31 intercommunicates the upper chamber 28 and a port 37 in the lower end of the housing 24. The passageway 32 communicates with the upper chamber 28 and also with the passageway 31 through a connecting passageway 38. The passageway 33 intercom municates the upper chamber 28 and a tangential passageway 39 having a threaded end section 40 adapted to receive a threaded end connector of a pump return line. The passageway 34 intercommunicates the upper chamber 28 and a port 41 in the lower end of the housing 24. It will be noted that the axes of the ports 37 and 41 are parallel to the axis of the housing 24, are disposed on a diameter perpendicular to the axis of the housing, on opposite sides thereof, and are equally spaced from the axis of the housing.

Also communicating with the upper chamber 28 of housing 24 is a tangential passageway 42 disposed in longitudinal alignment with tangential passageway 39 and having a threaded end section 43 adapted to receive a threaded end connector of a pump pressure line. The passageway 42 is best illustrated in P10. 4.

Axially disposed on the bottom wall 29 of upper housing chamber 28 is a pivot post 44. Also seated in concentric grooves in bottom wall 29 is a pair of sealing rings 45 and 46. It will be noted, as best illustrated in FIG. 3, the inner sealing ring 45 is disposed radially inwardly relative to the passageways 30 through 34 and the sealing ring 46 is disposed radially outwardly from such passageways.

The valve member 25 is provided with an axial recess 47 adapted to receive the pivot post 44 of the housing to center the valve member within the upper housing chamber 28, a bottom wall 48 seated on the sealing rings 45 and 46, and a top wall 49 being spaced below the upper end of the housing 24. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the bottom wall 48 of the valve member is provided with a recess 50 extending 180 about the axis of the valve member, and a passageway 51 extending over an arc of approximately 60 and being equally spaced circumferentially from the radially disposed edges of recess 50. It will be appreciated that the recess 50 is'adapted to intercommunicate successive passageways of passageways 30 through 34, and that passageway 51 is adapted to communicate selectively with one of such passageways. ln addition, it will be seen that passageway 51 constitutes a longitudinal passageway which functions to communicate a selected one of passageways 30 through 34 with the upper housing chamber 28.

The cap member 26 is seated on the upper end of the housing 24 to close the upper housing chamber 28, and is secured thereto by a plurality of bolts interconnecting a plurality of radially projecting flanges 52 with a plurality of similar flanges 53 on the upper end of the housing member. The cap member is provided with an axially disposed opening 54 and an annular, depending neck portion 55 providing an annular shoulder 56. The valve member 25 is urged into sealing engagement with the sealing rings 45 and 46 by means of a coil spring 57 interposed between the annular shoulder 56 and an annular washer 58 seated on the upper wall 49 of the valve member.

.loumaled in a bushing 59 disposed within the axial opening 54 is a pin 60 of actuator 27, having the lower end thereof embedded and rigidly secured to the valve member 25, and the upper end thereof projecting above the cap member 26. The actuator further consistsof a handle 61 pivotally connected adjacent the lower end thereof to the upper end of the pin 60. The lower end of the handle 61, adjacent its pivotal connection with the pin 60 is provided with a portion 62 having a greater radial dimension relative to the pivotal connection between the handle 61 and the pin 60, than the radial dimension of the cap member engaging surface 63 of the handle, which functions as a cam or a fulcrum point when the handle 61 is moved downwardly at the free end thereof to lift the pin 60 and, correspondingly, the valve 25 against the action of the spring 57. It will be appreciated that when the free end of the handle 61 is depressed to lift the valve member 25 against the action of the spring 57, the handle also may tion the valve member 25 in designated, preset positions to provide desired fluid flows through the valve unit.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and'3, the adapter 13 consists of an outer mounting section 65 and an inner section 66 forming a housing defining a fluid chamber 67, and a conduit 68 mounted in the sections 65 and 66 and projecting through the cylindrical wall portion 69.

The upper end of conduit 68 is mounted within the annular flange portion 73 and aligned ports 71 and 78, extending through the fluid chamber 67. The lower end thereof projects beyond the circular wall portion 75 and is provided with a closure member 78 at the lower end thereof and a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 79 disposed between the closure member 78 and the wall portion 75.

When the adapter 13 is mounted'on the filter unit 11 by threading the annular portion 70 into the upper end of the cylindrical container wall 16, the lower periphery of th wall portion 69 will engage an O-ring seal 80 to form a fluid tight seal between the adapter 13 and the filter unit 11. In addition, the flange portion 77 of the adapter will extend into the container 14 and engage the return conduit 18 to intercommunicate the axially disposed chamber 20 and the fluid chamber 67, and the lower end of the conduit 68 will extend into the container to intercommunicate the annular chamber 21 with th passageway 31 through the ports 79 and the interior'of the conduit 68.

In the operation of the filter assembly 10, with the valve 25 in the position as illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 5 and the pump pressure and return lines connected to passageways42 and 39' of the valve unit, fluid under pressure laden with substances to be filtered, .is introduced through the passageway 42 of the valve unit into the upper valve chamber 28. The fluid then passes downwardly through the passageway 51 in valve member 25, passageway 31 in valve housing 24, conduit 68 and through ports 79 into the annular container chamber 21. The fluid then fluid chamber 67. The outer mounting section 65 consists of a circular portion 69 adapted to be seated on the upper edge of the cylindri cal container wall 16 and a depending annular flange portion 70 having a diameter less than the circular wall portion 69 and provided with external threads which are adapted to be threaded into the threaded portion 17 when theadapter'13 is mounted on the upper end of the container 14. The section 13 further is provided with a pair of ports 71 and 72 defining the inner portions of passageways provided by outwardly projecting annular flanges 73 and 74. The axes of the annular flanges 73 and 74 are offset radially relative to the axis of the circular wall 69, and are offset radially relative to such axis on the same diameter. As shown in FIG. 3, the annular flanges 73 and 74 are adapted to project into the open ends of passageways 31 and 34 when the adapter 13 is mounted on the lower end of the valve unit 12. v r

The inner adapter section 66 consists of a circular wall portion 75 mounted on the lower end of the annular flange 70 and cooperating with the wall portion 69 and the annular flange 70 to define the fluid chamber 67. The wall portion 75 further is provided with an axially disposed port 76 communicating with an axially disposed passageway provided by a depending annular flange portion 77. The lower edge of the annular flange portion 77 is adapted to engage the upper edge of the return conduit 18 when the adapter 13 is mounted on the container 14 so that the interior of the return conduit l8 communicates with the fluid chamber 67 of the adapter. In addition, the inner adapter section 75 is provided with a port 78 which is radially offset relative to the port 76 and is disposed coaxially with the port 71 in the passes through the bed of filter medium where the filtering action occurs, and the filtrate then passes through the strainer 22 into the axially disposed chamber 20 of return conduit 18. From there, the filtrate flows through filter chamber 67, passageway 34 of valve housing 24, into recess 50 of valve member 25 and on through passageways 33 and 39 in the filter housing to be discharged into the return line of the pump.

When it is desired to backwash the filter medium, the handle 61 of the actuator is depressed to move the valve member 25 against the action of the spring 57, and then rotated to register the passageway 51 of valve member 25 with passageway 34 of the valve housing. Under such conditions, fluid under pressure introduced through passageway 42 into the valve chamber 28 will be caused to flow through passageway 34, fluid chamber 67, return conduit 18, strainer 20 and upwardly through the bed of filter medium to remove'filtered particles. The backwash fluid then flows through ports 79,"conduit 68 into passageway 31 of the valve housing. The fluid then would be conducted through recess 50 in valve member 25 into passageway 30 to be discharged through passageway 35 to a waste line. It will be noted that the adapter 13 can be utilized with any type of a device having a pair of ports such as the ports communicating with the passageways 31 and 34 of valve unit 12, and a container having a pair of chambers such as chambers 20 and 21 of filter unit 11, to intercommunicate each of such ports with a separate chamber. Although the present invention has been described in connection with the mounting of a valve unit on a filter unit, it should be understood that the application of the novel adapter should not be limited to such specific types of devices. 6

The adapter as described, can be formed from any suitable material by means of any adequate methods. The particular material selected, however, preferably should be of a type which would not react physically or chemically with the fluid with which it is used. Preferably, for filter'assemblies used with swimming pools, the material should be of a type which does not react with water and the chemical additives normally used in swimmingpools. It has been found that most plastics are suitable for such applications.

It will be appreciated, that in the manufacture of filter assemblies as described, the present invention readily permits the utilization ofcommercially available valve and filter units such as the units 11 and 12 which greatly facilitates the manufacture of such assemblies.

' From the foregoing detailed description, it will be ev- V ident that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention which come within the province of those persons skilled in the art. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within thescope thereof as limited solely by the appendant claims.

I claim:

1. An adapter suitable for conducting separate streams of fluid between a device having a-pair of ports and a container having an internally threaded opening communicating with first and second chambers within said container comprising an upper plate member provided with a pair of outer ports communicable with said ports of said device, said upper plate member having an externally threaded, depending portion threadable into the threaded opening of said container, an inner plate member having a pair of inner ports communicable with said first and second container chambers, secured to said depending portion of said upper plate member, and a conduit secured to said upper and lower plates, communicating with one of said outer ports in said upper plate member and extending through one of said inner ports in said inner plate member.

2. An adapter according to claim 1 wherein the periphery of said lower plate member is adhesively secured to a lower annular edge of the depending portion of said upper plate member,

3. An adapter according to claim 2 wherein said conduit projects below said lower plate member.

4. An adapter according to claim 3 wherein a lower end of said conduit disposed exteriorally of said lower plate member is capped and the portion of said conduit projecting below said lower plate member is provided with circumferentially spaced openings. 

1. An adapter suitable for conducting separate streams of fluid between a device having a pair of ports and a container having an internally threaded opening communicating with first and second chambers within said container comprising an upper plate member provided with a pair of outer ports communicable with said ports of said device, said upper plate member having an externally threaded, depending portion threadable into the threaded opening of said container, an inner plate member having a pair of inner ports communicable with said first and second container chambers, secured to said depending portion of said upper plate member, and a conduit secured to said upper and lower plates, communicating with one of said outer ports in said upper plate member and extending through one of said inner ports in said inner plate member.
 2. An adapter according to claim 1 wherein the periphery of said lower plate member is adhesively secured to a lower annular edge of the depending portion of said upper plate member.
 3. An adapter according to claim 2 wherein said conduit projects below said lower plate member.
 4. An adapter according to claim 3 wherein a lower end of said conduit disposed exteriorally of said lower plate member is capped and the portion of said conduit projecting below said lower plate member is provided with circumferentially spaced openings. 